to think that a nurse in charge of a minor illnesses clinic should be sure of what she's doing?

[OrmIrian]

I've been ill since Monday evening. High fever and the usual aches and pain, sneezing etc, no energy...feeling like sh*te basically. No big deal - a cold is just a cold but it got worse and worse I developed a throbbing pain below and behind each ear. So Wed morning I dragged my aching carcase to see the Minor Illnesses nurse (along with 4yr old who was off with a cough). Nurse told me that I only had a cold (OK but it's the very worst cold I've ever had), my throat wasn't inflamed, my glands weren't swollen and my ears were clear and that any wheezing in my chest was athsma (which was probably true). But she said 2 things that bothered me but I was feeling too rough at the time to argue the toss:

1. She said that my ears were clear but that there might be a problem with the tubes Which begs the question if that's a possibility why aren't you looking into it?

1. "Do you want some antibiotics?" which actiually left me speechless. I thought that they had stopped giving them out like sweeties and otherwise why did I need them? According to her there was nothing wrong? Was she covering her arse in case I came back with some problem later.

I am probably being unreasonable because I still feel like sh*te and I haven't slept since Sunday night and christmas is going to be awful at this rate - I'm snapping at the DCs like a lion with toothache

I just want to sit and cry.....

Yes kerala. I agree. And god forbid you call anything flu because then all the anecdotes come out of the cupboard..'oh no it can't be flu unless you nearly die and are in bed for 3 years' and 'my great uncle albert had flu and his leg fell off'.... but a cold, oh no. How do you tell the difference between flu and a cold I wonder?

What causes earaches?
A tube called the eustachian tube connects the middle ear with the back of the nose. Normally this tube lets fluid drain out of the middle ear. If bacteria or viruses infect the lining of your child?s eustachian tube, the tube gets swollen and fills with thick mucus. This keeps fluid in the ear from draining normally. Bacteria can grow in the fluid, increasing pressure behind the eardrum and causing pain.

From familydoc website

Sympathy - I used to have horrid tonsilitis as a child and I remember the feeling of my eustachian tubes being inflamed. Not fun.

it sounds like you have what myself and DS have. i've been off work for 4 days looking after DS as well. it's put us both off our food so must definitely be more than a cold as that's very unusual! i'm usually very hardy and have lots of energy but this has completely floored me, same with DS. haven't been to the docs about it as it is probably viral so not much can be done, but have moaned to anyone who'll listen.

nurse has probably seen dozens of people before you with the same ailment. some people get very particular about wanting antibiotics, and some medical professionals cave in quicker than others. maybe her defences were already worn down and she assumed you'd want the same. when DS has something that gives him a temperature for long enough i insist on antibiotics as he has had febrile convulsions in the past and if the cause is bacterial i don't want to waste any time in getting rid of it. his temp was up with this illness but not for too long thankfully.

i think the ear thing she was referring to is about the, don't quote me, eustacian tubes in your face that connect the ears, eyes and nose. when she looks down your ears, she probably won't be able to see past the eardrums so you may have pain there but she won't be able to see what it's about. just a guess, by the way, i'm no doctor!

Thankyou.

Had an awful night last night - tried your remedy nametaken and it worked like a dream and I was out like a mule had kicked me! For about an hour This morning chest in agony, revolting cough so went to emergency doctor and have now got some antibs. Need to kick it into touch before Tuesday/

I am
Similar to u,on day 5 now. Went to emergency doc who diagnosed proper flu. Feel like a dying.

hi sorry you are feeling sh*
sorry your experience with the MI nurse wasn't good.
At the mo there are lots of nasty viral illnesses around which don't respond to antibiotics. However in my experience (as a nurse)alittle TLC can go a long way , along with a good explantion of what you think is going on.
Re the ears - sometimes you can get a build up of fliud , which causes pressure behind the eardrum - it drains via the eustation tube on its own - often helped by steaming and sometimes by Sudafed.
Otherwise its rest, regular paracetemol, lots of fliuds, extra vit c and check you are taking all your inhalers - increasing if you need to.
Hope you feel well soon. X

Thanks fruitymum - TBH an explanation was all I needed. She was very brisk and not friendly at all. I wasn't expecting antibiotics if I had a virus but I didn't know whether there was some other problem and I didn't know about the ears thing. I don't get ill enough to be familiar with it - neither do my DCs thankfully I'm using paracetamol and the only thing I can eat is fruit and I'm knocking back OJ like it's water. So I think I'm OK on the vit c front.

Never met an unfriendly nurse at the practice before.